A group of fertility and technology experts from the University of Cambridge say they have greatly improved on the current standard for monitoring a woman's fertility--measuring her basal body temperature--with a new device that takes her temperature not once but 20,000 times a day.

The DuoFertility Monitor is part sensor (placed on a 3-centimeter adhesive under the arm) and part receiver (the sensor transmits data wirelessly to a portable device), storing up to six days of data on the device that can also be uploaded to a computer for longer-term analysis.

According to the company, Cambridge Temperature Concepts, a woman is most fertile around the time of ovulation, which is measured by both a slight increase in body temperature as well as the pH balance of cervical mucus, which becomes less acidic during ovulation, moving the cervix from a low, firm, and closed position to "soft, high, and open."

The DuoFertility Monitor measures both body temperature and cervical mucus, pretty much taking the guesswork out of when to get it on.

Sounds a bit less than romantic, sure, but for couples with fertility issues the monitor could be a natural and affordable alternative.

The monitor costs $800.
Cambridge Temperature Concepts

Cambridge Temperature Concepts is offering a "summer" deal for 580 euros, which is around $800, plus a full refund for women who are not pregnant within 12 months. The package comes with four months of sensor adhesives and five pregnancy tests.

Setting aside the obvious discussion that unprotected sex leaves one more vulnerable to STDs, I find myself wondering whether there is also a market for those with deep pockets and a hankering for sex without condoms who want the opposite end goal of the target market: to avoid pregnancy. A device that accurately monitors fertility will surely be used to both ends....

About the author

Elizabeth Armstrong Moore is based in Portland, Oregon, and has written for Wired, The Christian Science Monitor, and public radio. Her semi-obscure hobbies include climbing, billiards, board games that take up a lot of space, and piano.
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